Diyas reaches 1st WTA quarterfinals since 2012

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan reached her first WTA quarterfinals in two years by defeating Italian qualifier Giulia Gatto-Monticone

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan reached her first WTA quarterfinals in two years by defeating Italian qualifier Giulia Gatto-Monticone 6-1, 6-4 in the second round of the Malaysian Open on Wednesday.

No. 6-seeded Diyas broke the Italian's serve five times and saved four breakpoints to qualify for her first quarterfinals since 2012 in Taiwan.

Also through to the last eight were No. 4 Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria, and Magda Linette of Poland.

Top-seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia, ranked 10th, defeated Turkish qualifier Pemra Ozgen 6-1, 6-3 to open her tournament account, and will face Su-Wei Hsieh of Taiwan in the second round on Thursday, with Diyas waiting in the quarterfinals.